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Proper irrigation management is required to maintain adequate soil moisture in the
crop root zone for healthy plant growth and optimum yield. The impact of excess water on crop
growth and yield is influenced by crop type, soil characteristics, duration of excess water or
flooding, initial soil water and nitrogen status of the soil before flooding, crop growth stage, soil
and air temperature, and other factors. Excess water and/or water logging can be due to a
combination of poor irrigation management and/or above normal rainfall.

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1.Y Jver irrigation leads to wastage of water
2.Y Disturbs the oxygen balance of the root zone, drowns roots, reduces plant water
uptake, and thus stresses plants
3.Y Reduces the exchange of air (J2) between soil and atmosphere, and causes
reductions in root growth (especially in the upper soil layers) and less transport of
water and nutrients through the roots to the upper parts of the plant
4.Y Increases microbial growth which can cause the formation of sulphides and butyric
acid that are toxic to the plants
5.Y Reduction in nitrification process: Aerobic nitrifying bacteria carry out nitrification
process. Ill-drained conditions create oxygen stress resulting in the death of these
bacteria and fall in the production of nitrates and consequent reduction in the plant
growth, which reduces the crop yield.
6.Y Soil workability problems: Normal cultural operations viz., ploughing, harrowing,
seeding, interculture etc., cannot be easily carried out on time in wet soils. Sometimes
due to rise in free water above the surface of the land, makes cultivation impossible.
This leads to excessive delay in cultural practices and delayed sowing of crop,
contributing less or very poor yield.
7.Y Increases weed pressure owing to luxuriant growth of certain water loving grasses,
weeds etc interfering with the crop growth and creating an environment favourable for
diseases.
8.Y Rise in soil salinity: Due to continuous upward flow of water from the water table to
the land-surface, the salts, present in the water, also rise towards the surface,
resulting in the deposition of salts in the root zone of the crops. This in turn affects
the water availability to crops, plant growth, resulting in low crop yield.
9.Y Enhances the potential for root diseases
10.YCauses a decrease in soil temperature, thus reducing root growth, which creates a
shallow root structure
11.YLeaches nutrients and pesticides from the root zone to groundwater
12.YNegatively impacts yield
13.YIncreases energy use for pumping